Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/363

 B. xiii. c. i. 26, 27. THE TROAD. 355 ary. Such changes, which then took place, from higher to lower situations, mark the differences, I conceive, which fol- lowed in the forms of government and modes of life. But we must examine this subject elsewhere. 26. The present city of Ilium was once, it is said, a village, containing a small and plain temple of Minerva; that Alex- ander, after l his victory at the Granicus, came up, and decor- ated the temple with offerings, gave it the title of city, and ordered those who had the management of such things to im- prove it with new buildings ; he declared it free and exempt from tribute. Afterwards, when he had destroyed the Persian empire, he sent a letter, expressed in kind terms, in which he promised the Ilierises to make theirs a great city, to build a temple of great magnificence, and to institute sacred games. After the death of Alexander, it was Lysimachus who took the greatest interest in the welfare of the place ; built a temple, and surrounded the city with a wall of about 40 stadia in extent. He settled here the inhabitants of the an- cient cities around, which were in a dilapidated state. It was at this time that he directed his attention to Alexandreia, founded by Antigonus, and surnamed Antigonia, which was altered (into Alexandreia). For it appeared to be an act of pious 'duty in the successors of Alexander first to found cities which should bear his name, and afterwards those which should be called after their own. Alexandreia continued to exist, and became a large place ; at present it has received a Roman colony, and is reckoned among celebrated cities. 27. The present Ilium was a kind of village-city, when the Romans first came into Asia and expelled Antiochus the Great from the country within the Taurus. Demetrius of Scep- sis says that, when a youth, he came, in the course of his travels, to this city, about that time, and saw the houses so neglected that even the roofs were without files. Hegesianax 2 also relates, that the Galatians, who crossed over from Europe, being in want of some strong-hold, went up to the city, but immediately left it, when they saw that it was not fortified with a wall; afterwards it underwent great reparation and 1 According to Arrian and Plutarch, it was before his victory. 2 A native of Alexandreia-Troas and a grammarian ; he was the author of Commentaries on various authors and of a History of the Trojan W ar. Athenceus. 2 A 2